Tubes are commonly employed to convey unpressurized or pressurized fluids from one point to another such as for example in an air conditioning system where the tubes are used to carry both gaseous and liquid forms of the cooling medium.
Tubes are also commonly joined together at their ends by couplings or fittings to extend the length of their run or where two tubes having different diameters are joined together for a particular purpose.
Such couplings or fittings may be either of the permanently attached or reusable type well know to those skilled in the art. Generally reusable fittings employ threaded male and female members that are threaded together to make the connection between the tubes or which includes brazing or soldering a male and female member together and permanently attached fittings commonly employ a sleeve which is crimped or swaged to make a permanent connection between the tubes.
Such union or junction between the tube ends introduces a potential point of separation between the tubes, should impact vibration, or temperature variation loosen the couplings or in cases where an axial load is applied to the tubes that is sufficient to cause the tubes to separate at the union or junction.
In light of the foregoing, a need has existed to provide simple, low cost means for reinforcing a union or junction between two substantially axially aligned tubes against separation.